How Employment Agencies Work and How They Get You Hired

March 6th, 2017 Written by: Molly Masterson

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For job seekers like you finding it difficult to find employment or simply not having enough hours in the day to devote to the search, partnering with an employment or staffing agency is a tremendous option for a number of reasons.

If you’re skeptical, think about this: Staffing companies hire 16 million Americans for temporary and contract work every year, according to the American Staffing Association. In addition, nearly 50% of staffing employees say agencies are the gateway to a long-term position.

With that said, we understand that you still may be unsure about how an agency can actually help you land a job. To help, below we’ve outlined what employment agencies do and how they operate, and answer a few common questions.

What Does an Employment Agency Do?

First, it’s important to note that employment agencies come in all shapes and sizes. A common misconception is that all agencies merely provide short-term, temp work. While some employment agencies offer temp services—or as we like to call it, flex services—most agencies’ staffing opportunities extend to covering part-time and full-time contract work, flex-to-hire work and direct-hire work.

In addition, while some agencies focus on specific industries such as tech or manufacturing, others like Masterson Staffing Solutions place job seekers in positions across a wide array of industries.

How Do Employment Agencies Work?

Most agencies operate with the fundamental task of being the bridge between employers and job seekers. From the perspective of the employer, employment agencies save hours of time and stress. For job seekers, employment agencies are an experienced ally.

When it comes to working with the employer, employment agencies often take over most of the recruiting process, posting jobs, collecting applicants, screening applicants and eventually providing the employer with a tailored list of the best-suited candidates.

As for working with job seekers, employment agencies work to understand your skills, experience and personality to match you with prospective positions. In addition, they also provide support, training and professional development to help you position yourself for success.

In the end, the ultimate goal of an employment agency is to match the right person with the right position and employer.

FAQ: How Employment Agencies Work to Get You Hired

1. How much does it cost to work with an employment agency?

For job seekers, employment agencies are free. Employment agencies are compensated by the employer upon placing you in the perfect position.

2. How does an employment agency actually find me a job?

Looking for a new job can be a daunting task in today’s competitive job market. In addition, with so many online job search sites such as Career Builder or Indeed, you’re probably overwhelmed by the options and unsure where to apply. Furthermore, these sites rarely have a human interaction during their application process, which leaves you with little reassurance that your application is being taken seriously.

When you work with an employment agency, you’re more than just an application—you’re a qualified candidate referral from a trusted source. In addition, agencies provide you with that human interaction. They’ll meet with you and go through your skills and experiences, then tailor a list of job openings that fit you best.

3. What happens if an agency doesn’t have a job for me?

After a job seeker meets with the agency to highlight their skills and experience, the agency will then try and match them with a job. However, from time to time there may not be a position that fits your needs and skills. Or perhaps you’ll land an interview, but the employer chooses to hire another candidate in the end.

The good news is that the relationship doesn’t end in either of these scenarios. The agency will continue to look for positions that fit your experience, stay in touch and reach out when new opportunities arise.

Remember, you and the employment agency share a common goal: Getting you hired. So even if employment doesn’t happen immediately, they’ll continue to work on it.

4. How do agencies recruit talent?

Agencies recruit job seekers using a number of different approaches. By using a combination of recruiting strategies, employment agencies are able to locate a great variety of prospects, which greatly increases the chance of the employer eventually hiring the perfect candidate.

For Masterson, referrals from current employees, social media and professional networks, job fairs and community partnerships are just some of the recruitment strategies that help us find amazing talent.

Can an Employment Agency Help You?

Now that you have a basic understanding of how employment agencies work, we invite you to visit our Job Seekers page to learn more about the ways that Masterson can help you find your next position.

If you’re looking for more details on what it’s like to work with Masterson, check out our Job Seekers FAQ page.

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